Beginning of Summer

I can't say that Celia and I have been totally enjoying the start of summer. I had the "plague" that I reported about a couple posts ago. Then Celia got a version of the "plague" that was complicated with an ear infection. My Mom came up the Friday after I was done work and ended up staying for more then a week. She was supposed to stay so that I could get things done around the house. I did for a few days then realized that I still was quite tired and then Celia got sick, so things didn't go as planned. We wish that we could have done some fun things with Mom Mom. In anycase, she was a huge help. My bathrooms and windows have never been so clean. This week, Celia was the one who was very tired and luckily had some good naps. After Celia's fever broke, she gave us major attitude. We were very scared that it was the terrible twos- however it ended up being the terrible bug that was bothering her! After a couple days, some good naps, she was back to her old self. That is not to say that she is an angel, she definately has an attitude.
We have enjoyed playing in our not so little baby pool with our neighbor, doing some extra special shopping for Daddy's birthday, and going to the park. The park wears Celia out, I love the park... I am enjoying being home with her so much! I know I am going back to work but still not sure if I am requesting a transfer. I will definately know more in August.
Sadly, we missed out on seeing my niece Katie in June because of the "plague" that was at our house. However we are in the works on setting up another date for her visit. She stays with us for about a week each summer. I really can't wait because Celia loves to talk to Katie on the phone. Potty training for Celia is going basically okay. She has the pee thing down, pooping is another story. She will poop on the potty, it just isn't her favorite thing. She has gone more lately then she has before, so perhaps it is progress. She still will poop most of the time when she takes her nap. At 22 months, I am okay with that but of course since she is on the pottying track, it would be nice to get both of them to go in the potty. We have had very few "pee" accidents and she is pretty good about holding it when we go out. She doesn't like to use public restaurants, but we have learned that she seems to be good with holding it.
We are spending the 4th at home. We have good friends coming over tonight and Pete's family is coming over on the 4th.
Happy 4th of July!

Happy Father's Day

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bagels, school is done, and the plague

On Wednesday I leaned my head against the doorway of my classroom and I took it all in. The walls were bare, circle time had no calendar or weather frog, the puzzles were gone, and boxes were packed. I took sometime to think about the year. I pictured the group of kids that frightened my assistant and I at the beginning of the year. I pictured that group that made me tell Pete that I didn't think I was going to last the year, it just was too exhausting. Then I pictured the group that made me want to stay the whole year. I pictured the group that made me love coming into the classroom everyday. I pictured the group that frustrated everyone but made us feel so important and so special. They are not the same group of students, they really aren't. The group of kiddos that we started with did not exist, they didn't exist after November. Don't get me wrong, they were still a handful, but they matured and grew so very much this year. I watched little J learn to defend herself among kids a foot taller and I heard her say her first words. I saw N become calmer and learn, oh did she learn this year. I won't lie, there are a couple of students that I enjoyed the year teaching, but I am okay with not having them next year.
So I didn't stand at that doorway for too long, it just was too painful. I am not sure that my students are going off to better places. Little J will be fine going back to the district, she is smart, sweet, and compliant. I am not sure that I am going off to a better place. I haven't put in my letter of transfer yet but I think that I am. My supervisor asked me again if I knew what I was doing and I told him my plans, then he changed my mind a little. There is a classroom at our Autistic Support school that has some students with behavior problems. I am good with students with behavior problems, but honestly I am tired of that a little. I love the challenge though.
This week has been complicated by the fact that I have the plague. Okay perhaps not "the Plague" but some horrible virus/infection. It started with fever, body aches, and the worst sore throat I have had in years. I popped Tylenol and Ibropfren like candy Mon and Tues to get through work. Wednesday I went to the dr and they didn't know, I was told to fill an antibiotic prescription on Thursday if I didn't feel better. So I woke up Thursday thinking maybe the sore throat was know more like 10 knives then a dozen. I didn't fill the prescription until later that day when things got worse. So today I think maybe I am filling better, but not sure as my throat is still killing me.
Celia is home for the summer with me, today is the official day. She didn't take her morning nap because she took off her sleep sack, nap diaper (undies when awake), and shirt. I heard her from downstairs saying "I nakey, Celia nakey". That never leads to anything good. So I got her up and we played outside for a bit then came in to make bagels. I found a recipe for it and thought it sounded worthwhile to try, the dough is rising right now and I am deflating. I think I need to also take a nap. She really loves to bake, but she thinks that everything we make is muffins. I told her bagels and showed her the pictures. She then asked if I was cooking the muffins!

Don't Piss Celia off

Celia has had a very good day today. She had a picnic at daycare and they didn't really have daycare, so I took a personal day. We visited my school early in the morning and went to her school's indoor picnic around noon. We had a great time at both places. Celia ate my lunch and her lunch, and quite alot of broccolli and grapes. I did offer her a cookie and she wanted "grapeys" instead.

When we came back from her picnic she took a nap and then engaged in some interesting play. She decided that she needed to take her doll for a walk. When she takes her doll for a walk, this includes a whole array of different things. While she was gathering her things, she suddenly stopped and started yelling at her stuffed bunny across the room. I looked at him and he looked at me. We both were quite surprised as he was minding his own business, at least I thought he was. Well Celia started yelling "No bunny, no bunny, stop it, be nice". She walked over to him, yanked him up and informed him that he had to go to time out. Celia plopped him down and told him not to hit and a whole lot of other things. I wasn't aware that bunny had done so much. Eventualy, bunny came out of time out and was treated to a ride on top of the stroller, then stepped on..

In the process of all of this, I discovered that Celia has a bit of a gas issue. My "little lady" was walking around, would stop, squat and let it rip. I asked her if she had to go potty and her response was "No Mommy, I toot". Indeed she did.

Less then 2 weeks and Celia and I have lots of time together. I am excited for that. I can't say that I know more of what I am doing in the Fall, things are unclear. I know that I need some time to recover from the stress that I am going through currently. I won't go into detail but I don't agree with alot of things that are going on in my job right now. I think I am requesting a transfer but I am exploring alot of things.

Tantrums and venting

Celia throws tantrums, they are not bad and I can't say they are that frequent. But I want to do the same thing. I want to throw myself on the floor, kicking and screaming. What would I be screaming??? "Why, why, why are you doing this to this room? Why? It is the perfect classroom. It is as if someone individualy plucked out this kiddos to fit with each other in one classroom. They work together, they are the greatest grouping I have ever seen, so why???" The more I think about not being able to teach this group, the more it upsets me. I very much need the school year to be done, I really do- emotionally and physically. I am so mad that the end of my school year is going to be spent on meetings with parents to go over placements. I am so mad that I have to talk to parents and tell them what is happening next year. That is not my job. The kids deserved stability and consistency, at least for another year. I am equally mad that when I am not in meetings that I will likely be dealing with various people visiting the room to look at students.
This grouping of kids are very special to me. They were the grouping that made going back to work worthwhile. I only hope that their new placements will be appropriate. I am so proud of one of my students who is a tiny little peanut who has made tremendous gains. She is going back to her school district and I have no fears for her. I know that what we have given her this year will stay with her for a long time. I am proud of my staff that has assisted with that.
As for me, my future is unclear, I switch off and on between going back and not. Next week I will likely tell everyone I am going back to school to be an lawyer, exotic dancer, ...
Although I haven't written about her in awhile, my own little peanut is doing great. She had a rough weekend last week- a little overstimulated. She is my chatterbox, talking in phrases most of the time now. Toilet training is going well and for the most part isn't having accidents at home. When she is alone with Daddy, she has had some accidents!

Decisions

Life right now for me is full of thinking. I am have enjoyed my school year with my little kiddos a great deal. They have been one of the more rewarding groups of kids that I have ever taught. I was told Friday that this will be the one and only year that I will work with them. My classroom is closing and they are going into another room. It is a sad situation because no one knows them and it took us a good 3 months to get to know them and develop behavior strategies to help them learn. 3 of my students are finishing up communication device trials and should have them ordered by next year. The teacher that they will have next year will likely not have a background in communication devices, especialy the Dynavox. I only assume that because the nature of the program in which she has been based. They would never have students with severe communication disorders in that program. There are other big concerns, like the hour long bus ride to their new classroom. Most of all, I am irritated that I have spent nearly 9 years in this place and I have only been given praise. For the second year I am being transferred, I know it is just because my classroom is closing, but it stinks. I don't know where I am going to be placed, okay I have an idea.
I have found that when looking for jobs in school districts they want dual certification and I only have my special education degree. So my thoughts right now are to see if I could get my elementary ed degree and work part time by substituting or doing something else. We could afford it, but the thought of losing money to do this upsets me tremendously! The problem is that change really scares me and in my gut, I think I will just end up accepting my transfer and back with the IU in the fall! But I am seriously going to explore my options. Pete is on board with whatever I do, even if I want to change careers and go back to school. That is sweet, but I am not that brave!! So next week I am going to be busy making many calls.
So I think I need a push to make a change.. Oh and if anyone has suggestions on a good place to take a vacation that includes the beach and is with in 5-6 hrs away, let me know. We need to book some place and I really don't go for the crowded beaches in Delaware/Maryland.

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me Monday is back!!

I haven't really been into posting a great deal lately for some reason. I thought that I would get back into by doing a Not Me Monday post.

I certainly did not let my daughter have a cupcake before dinner tonight, no not me. I am the queen of healthy food and would never let her have a cupcake.

I definately didn't spend the time that I could be napping yesterday on Mother's day doing school work, no not me.

I most certainly didn't stop my husband from taking Celia out to eat so that I could sleep a little longer yesterday because I kept thinking about all the things that he would need and finally just ask him to do it on another day, no not me (he certainly didn't wake me up to tell me that he was taking her out instead of letting me sleep and just leaving a note).

I am certainly not counting down each day until I am done with school for the year. I am certainly not extremly bummed out about my possible transfer for the 2nd year in a row.

My husband definately didn't clean 2 bathrooms top to bottom for Mother's Day, therefore proving to me that he is very good at cleaning bathrooms. No he would never do that!